J&K Assembly polls-2024 will be after longest ever gap of over 3,550 days

Assembly elections-1996 were held after 9.49 years; in 2024 these will be after 9.76 years

Srinagar: If the Election Commission of India goes ahead with its tentative schedule of holding the next Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir alongside the polling in three other States in September 2024, it will be ending the longest ever gap between the two elections in the Union Territory.
Assuming the start of the democratic exercise on 1 September 2024, the ECI will be holding the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the longest gap of 3,566 days or 9.76 years. The last Assembly elections in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir were held on 25 November 2014.
While the exercise in 2014-15 was completed in over a month, Omar Abdullah stepped down as the care-taker Chief Minister and handed over the reign to Governor N.N. Vohra. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took over as the Chief Minister of the PDP-BJP coalition on 1 March, 2015. He functioned as Chief Minister for just 312 days and died on 7 January 2016.
J&K witnessed another spell of Governor’s rule for 88 days as Mufti Sayeed’s successor daughter Mehbooba Mufti assumed the office of Chief Minister not before 4 April 2016. She functioned as Chief Minister for 807 days till 19 June 2018 when BJP withdrew support and the PDP-BJP government broke down.
J&K remained under Governor’s rule for 182 days from 20 June 2018 to 19 December 2018 when the Legislative Assembly was dissolved and the President’s rule imposed. It continued for 314 days till 30 October 2019 when Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The UT’s first spell of President’s rule started on 31 October 2019 which is unlikely to end before the first Assembly elections possibly in September 2024. This continued spell of the Governor’s and the Presidents rule will complete 2,264 days on 1 September 2024.
So, in this longest gap of 3,566 days between the Assembly elections of 2014 and the possible Assembly elections in September 2024, the popular government of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti operated for a total of 1,119 days—Mufti for 312 days and Mehbooba for 807 days.
Previously the longest gap between the two Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir—between 23 March 1987 and 17 September 1996— was 3,465 days. In the current period, that particular record was broken on 22 May 2024 when the beginning of the Assembly elections of 2014 became 3,465 days old.
In other words, the gap between the Assembly elections of 1987 and 1996 was 9.49 years. If the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are held on 1 September 2024, the ECI will be holding this exercise with a gap of 9.76 years.
In 76 years after 1948, for most of the years, Jammu and Kashmir has been ruled by popular governments headed by Prime Ministers till March 1965 and thereafter by elected Chief Ministers.
However, after March 1977, the erstwhile State functioned under Governor’s rule for as many as 7 times and under the President’s rule for times. Governor’s rule can be for a maximum of 6 months after the breakdown of a popular government. President’s rule is imposed thereafter until the formation of the new popular government.
The first Governor’s rule was imposed on 26 March 1977 when the Indian National Congress under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed withdrew support from Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s government but the Chief Minister recommended dissolution of the Assembly and fresh Assembly elections. Governor’s rule under L.K. Jha ended after 105 days when Sheikh’s National Conference swept the polls and formed a government with a thumping majority.
J&K remained under Governor’s rule for 180 days when Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah tendered resignation in protest over Jagmohan’s appointment as Governor on 18 January 1990. President’s rule was imposed on 19 July 1990. It remained in force for 6 years and 82 days till 9 October 1996 when Farooq Abdullah returned as Chief Minister after the Assembly elections.
For the 3rd time, Governor’s rule remained in force for 15 days from 18 October 2022 as no party staked claim to form the government after the Assembly elections. It ended on 2 November 2002 when Mufti Sayeed assumed office as Chief Minister of PDP-Congress coalition.
For the 4th time, Governor’s rule remained in force for 178 days from 11 July 2008 when PDP withdrew support from the coalition government and Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as Chief Minister. It ended on 5 January 2009 when, after the Assembly elections, Omar Abdullah took over as Chief Minister of the NC-Congress coalition.
Governor’s rule remained in force for the 5th time for 52 days from 8 January 2018 to 1 March 2015 when Mufti Sayeed took over as Chief Minister of PDP-BJP government. It remained in force for the 6th time for 88 days from 7 January 2016 when Mufti died but his daughter Mehbooba did not immediately stake claim for the government formation. It ended when Mehbooba took over as Chief Minister of PDP-BJP government on 4 April 2016.
Governor’s rule was imposed for the 7th time on 20 June 2018 when BJP withdrew support from Mehbooba’s coalition and the PDP-BJP coalition collapsed. It remained in force for 182 days. It was followed by the 3rd spell of President’s rule on 20 December 2018 which remained in force for 314 days in the erstwhile State till 31 October 2019 and has been continuing in the UT till date. On 1 September 2024, it will be completing 4 years and 305 days.

Updated On 6/30/2024 3:30:21 AM